Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved
Chapter 362 I am a cripple who dares not covet the throne

Chapter 362: Chapter 362 I am a cripple who dares not covet the throne

The Second Prince looked at Murong Jiu with a hint of hesitation on his face.

Jun Yuyan’s gaze turned slightly cold as he spoke, "Since when did the Second Younger Imperial Brother become so coy? I’m busy with many matters and have no time to waste here."

The Second Prince’s eyes immediately shifted away from Murong Jiu’s face, and he said with a forced smile:

"Eldest Imperial Brother, please don’t be impatient. It’s just that I don’t know how to start. As you know, I’ve had a run of bad luck and have now become a cripple. On top of that, there are people who wish to remove me swiftly, not even allowing me to live peacefully as an idler. My visit today was truly out of necessity."

Jun Yuyan didn’t respond, continuing to peel the second orange for Murong Jiu.

She had a relaxed and composed demeanor, holding a thin slice of Cloud Pastry Cake and eating as if she hadn’t heard anything the Second Prince said.

It was only after she had taken a bite of the orange, appearing to wrinkle her nose at its sourness, that the Second Prince saw Eldest Imperial Brother quickly taking the orange she didn’t want and pouring her some tea instead.

And there he was, completely ignored.

A shadow crossed the Second Prince’s eyes.

Although he had long known that Murong Jiu had fallen out of love with him, he hadn’t expected her to remain so indifferent when he mentioned someone wanted to kill him.

Could it truly be that not a trace of affection remained?

"The Cloud Pastry Cake is too sweet; eating an orange after will taste sour. Have some tea first to balance out the flavors," Jun Yuyan suggested.

Murong Jiu smiled, nodded, and after sipping some tea, continued to eat the Cloud Pastry Cake. Today, the cook had made the Cloud Pastry Cake exceptionally delicate, soft, and sweet, which precisely suited her taste, especially seeing the Second Prince in such a pitiful state, which was even more satisfying than killing him outright.

A missing foot meant being crippled; he wouldn’t be able to walk in the future and could only sit in a wheelchair forever. It was said that the Second Prince was having Senior Brother Miao custom-make a prosthesis for him. Even if he could stand up, walking would never be the same. Once disabled, always disabled.

This was his retribution.

Jun Yuyan’s leg injury had the Second Prince’s handiwork in it.

So Murong Jiu felt content in her heart.

The Second Prince, left out, attempted to speak several times, but no one paid him any attention, causing his expression to darken as he said sternly:

"Is Eldest Imperial Brother and Imperial Sister-in-Law intentionally humiliating me? If you didn’t want to see me, there was no need to let me through the gates of Prince Ling’s Mansion."

Murong Jiu curled her lips and said, "So the Second Prince knows he’s unwelcome. I thought the Second Prince couldn’t read the room."

The Second Prince’s expression grew even uglier.

How dare Murong Jiu speak to him like that?

Even with her favored status, she was just a woman. Yet now, she dared to be disrespectful to him, riding on Eldest Imperial Brother’s affection!

"Eldest Imperial Brother, Imperial Sister-in-Law’s temperament will lead to trouble sooner or later. I might not care, but if it were someone else, I’m afraid..."

"The Second Younger Imperial Brother need not worry. My Princess Consort is my treasure, and no one dares to disrespect her. Have you finished what you came to say? If so, please feel free to leave," Jun Yuyan cut in.

The Second Prince gripped the handles of his wheelchair tightly, suppressing his anger as he said:

"Eldest Imperial Brother must know why I’m here, then you are also aware of how difficult it is to deal with Laosi and The Fourth Prince now. In my current state, I no longer care about the so-called throne, but Eldest Imperial Brother, can you really be content? If either Laosi or The Fourth Prince ascends to the throne, the first person they’ll remove will definitely be you! And then, will you still be able to protect Imperial Sister-in-Law? I’ve heard that The Fourth Prince has taken quite a liking to Imperial Sister-in-Law; his selection of concubines in the mansion is based on her likeness."

That last remark made Murong Jiu feel nauseated.

Jun Yuyan patted her hand reassuringly and looked coldly at the Second Prince, "If that’s all you have to say, then I’ll not see you out."

"Wait! Eldest Imperial Brother, I truly have no more aspirations now; I only seek vengeance. The Third caused me to lose a foot, and Laosi killed two aides whom I regarded as close as kin. You know as well as I do that this world has never seen an Emperor with a disability; I dare not entertain wild hopes. However, Eldest Imperial Brother, you can do it. Your military exploits are unparalleled, and your popularity among the common people is extremely high. The throne is destined to be yours! Would you really want to see the empire you fought hard for fall into the hands of people like the Third and Laosi?"

The Second Prince indeed looked desperate; he spoke quickly and urgently.

Only then did Jun Yuyan look at him with serious eyes.

"So, you wish to form an alliance with me?"

"Exactly. If you and I form an alliance to eliminate the Third and Laosi, afterward, I will request to be sent to a remote fief and never return to the Capital City. I swear it to the heavens!"

As he spoke, the Second Prince raised his hand.

Murong Jiu found it extremely laughable. In his past life, the Second Prince had made countless oaths to the heavens, but his end was indeed tragic—donning the Dragon Robe for only a short while before being publicly beheaded by a eunuch by his side.

The Emperor with the shortest reign in history.

He was also exposed for various misdeeds and died with his name cursed by all.

Now, the Second Prince’s oath was nothing more than an attempt to gain Jun Yuyan’s trust; his words held little truth.

Murong Jiu felt that one must at least be consistent in their words and actions; swearing carelessly was not advisable.

Who knows when the heavens might suddenly mete out punishment.

"If you want to form an alliance, where is your sincerity?"

Jun Yuyan watched as the Second Prince swore his oath, then slowly inquired.

The Second Prince immediately took out a secret letter from his bosom:

"This is a secret letter riskily sent back by my spy in the palace. It says that Laosi was seen entering Noble Consort Qin’s sleeping quarters! That means, the Young Prince who was just born is not Father’s child! He’s not our Imperial Brother but our Imperial Nephew!"

The conclusion wasn’t wrong. Jun Yuyan and Murong Jiu had already discussed the matter of The Fourth Prince and Noble Consort Qin.

Murong Jiu thought the Fourth Prince, having planted his seed, harbored the cunning thought of a cornered beast. He was obsessed with the throne, thinking that even if he couldn’t become Emperor, his son would take the position.

"You want me to bring this matter into the open? Where is the evidence? With just a secret letter, do you think Father will believe it?"

"Father may not believe it, but he will have doubts. The Third is currently fiercely battling with Laosi. We could deliver the secret letter into the Third’s hands."

The Second Prince admitted his lack of manpower and energy to devise a plan and wished to hand over the secret letter to Jun Yuyan to act upon.

Jun Yuyan let out a faint, cold laugh, "Is this what you call sincerity? If you have nothing else, then there’s no need for more words. Please, leave."

Realizing the significance of Jun Yuyan’s words, the Second Prince understood that he must have already known about The Fourth Prince and Noble Consort Qin. He also did not see any sign of surprise in Murong Jiu’s expression just now.

He gave a wry smile and said, "So you both already knew. I thought I had a step on you."

Sipping tea, Murong Jiu spoke calmly:

"What you can think of, could The Fourth Prince not? He has a thousand reasons to exonerate himself. Father may be suspicious, but without evidence, can he simply kill Noble Consort Qin and the Young Prince? It might end up being exploited by Laosi, making Father grow even more fond of the Young Prince."

His words rang with sense, and the Second Prince seemed contemplative.

Suddenly, as if struggling internally before making up his mind, he said, "Do Eldest Imperial Brother and Imperial Sister-in-Law know of the Lixin Iron Mine?"

Jun Yuyan looked up indifferently, "The abandoned Lixin Mountain Iron Mine, what does it have to do with Laosi?"